Sweden’s Embracer splurges up to $2.5bn on three gaming companies February 3, 2021 Swedish video game group Embracer has agreed to buy three gaming companies, including US-based Gearbox, the maker of first-person shooter game Borderlands, for up to $2.5bn in cash and stock. The company, known for games such as Darksiders and World War Z, will pay Gearbox $363m initially with a commitment to pay another $1bn in the next [...]
Film financier Great Point set for London IPO February 3, 2021 Great Point Entertainment Income Trust (GPEIT) today announced its intention to float on the main market of the London Stock Exchange. The London-based group will offer a target issue of 200m shares at 1 penny each at an initial issue price of £1 per ordinary share. GPEIT is a newly established investment company which will [...]
Swiss stocks given all clear to resume trading in London February 3, 2021 Shares in Swiss companies will once again be traded on UK exchanges after Switzerland’s financial regulator gave the move the all-clear this morning. Since June 2019, a spat between the EU and Switzerland has meant that the bloc’s exchanges have been banned from Swiss shares. But with the UK no longer a member of the [...]
UK airports launch fresh bid for new government support February 3, 2021 The UK’s airports have today launched a fresh bid for more financial support from the government as the pandemic shows no signs of abating. The Airport Operators’ Association (AOA) today said that it did not expect passenger numbers to recover to pre-Covid levels until 2025 at the earliest. It said that the coming summer needed [...]
Medical trial firm converts East End hotel as Covid19 nasal vaccine study ramps up February 3, 2021 An Aim-listed medical trial firm is expanding in East London to free up space for two Covid-19 vaccine trials underway in Whitechapel.
Ryanair ‘jab & go’ ads deemed ‘misleading’ by watchdog February 3, 2021 The advertising watchdog has banned Ryanair from airing its controversial “jab & go” advert, in ruling published today. The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) said it had received 2,370 complaints over the advert – the third most for any single ad. ASA said that the campaign, which encouraged people to book flights with Ryanair after getting [...]
Half of medium-sized businesses on the brink as lockdown restrictions continue February 3, 2021 Nearly half (49 per cent) of medium-sized businesses have warned they could cease trading in less than two months if coronavirus restrictions do not ease. The national lockdown is taking a major toll on businesses, with many fearing the worst if the restrictions continue. If the current national lockdown lasts until April, more than eight [...]
Jeff Bezos to step down as Amazon chief executive as quarterly sales hit $125bn February 3, 2021 Jeff Bezos will step down as chief executive of Amazon this year, moving to the new role of executive chair. Amazon today said Bezos will transition to the new job in the third quarter and will be replaced as chief executive by Andy Jassy, who currently leads Amazon Web Services. It came as the ecommerce [...]
Too many bosses are using Covid-19 to indulge their Big Brother tendencies February 3, 2021 Controversy around technologies used to monitor employees is not new. However, against the backdrop of COVID-19 with office-based workforces operating remotely, businesses have struggled with how to effectively manage staff and have hastily deployed surveillance technologies. This knee-jerk reaction is perhaps understandable, but employers must be wary. The backlash can be severe, unexpected, and sometimes [...]
Asos purchases Arcadia’s principal brands to improve its own quality perception February 3, 2021 Online fashion giant Asos has announced it has beat competitors to purchase the four main Arcadia brands – Miss Selfridge, HIIT, Topman and Topshop – in order to become the number one fashion destination for young, fashion-conscious shoppers worldwide. Chief executive Nick Beighton said that the brands were a “natural fit” and resonated with their [...]
